Parents and their toddlers flocked to the Developmental Health and Wellness Fair at Windsor Water World today.
Industry professionals from Windsor and Essex County were on hand to provide free dental, vision, speech and hearing screening, as well as nutritional and behavioural consultations for two- and three-year-old children.
Kelly Wacheski brought her two-year-old son Alexander to get his teeth, eyes and ears checked. She said the nutritional information was also helpful.
“We just talked about what size servings of each food group he should be getting right now,” she said. “The portions are much less; I was worried he wasn’t getting enough but he’s pretty close.”
Program manager Sylvia Whalen said the fair is set up to help ensure children are healthy and ready to start kindergarten.
“We believe strongly in early intervention,” Whalen said. “We set this up because children were getting to school and had special needs that weren’t previously identified, so we’re trying to get all of the services in one place for families.”
Whalen says Talk 2 Me is doing speech and communication evaluations, The health unit is doing nutritional and dental screenings, Eye See Eye Learn is doing vision screenings, Children First is organizing developmental/ behaviour consultations, and Windsor Regional Hospital is doing audiology tests.
Robin Taylor brought her three-year-old granddaughter Mickayla to the health fair.
She said the event provided “great information to bring home to her mom. We wanted to see exactly what was out there that we could get Mickayla into before she started school in September.”
Karen Kelly, a dental hygienist with the health unit, said she has been checking toddlers’ teeth and giving parents advice on how to care for them.
Kelly said the most common advice she gives is “brushing twice daily, flossing daily, reducing the frequency of sugary drinks and snacks, and seeing the dentist regularly.”
The health and wellness fair is open at Water World until 7 p.m. today and from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. April 18 at the Essex Sports Complex.
Calling All 2 & 3 Year Olds! Developmental Health and Wellness Fair was held at the Windsor Water World, Wednesday, April 17, 2013. (DAX MELMER/The Windsor Star)
Mickayla Costa, 3, has a surprised look on her face while playing with coloured cutouts at the Calling All 2 & 3 Year Olds! Developmental Health and Wellness Fair at Windsor Water World, Wednesday, April 17, 2013. (DAX MELMER/The Windsor Star)
Tyler Fairhurst, 3 prepares to have his hearing examined by an audiologist at the Calling All 2 & 3 Year Olds! Developmental Health and Wellness Fair at Windsor Water World, Wednesday, April 17, 2013. (DAX MELMER/The Windsor Star)
Tyler Fairhurst, 3 has his hearing examined by audiologist, Teresa Occhinero-Gebrael, at the Calling All 2 & 3 Year Olds! Developmental Health and Wellness Fair at Windsor Water World, Wednesday, April 17, 2013. (DAX MELMER/The Windsor Star)
Nicholas McGrayne, 2, sticks a tooth wellness sticker on the wall after having his teeth examined at the Calling All 2 & 3 Year Olds! Developmental Health and Wellness Fair at Windsor Water World, Wednesday, April 17, 2013. (DAX MELMER/The Windsor Star)
Nicholas McGrayne, 2, is held by his mother, Keisha McGrayne while having his teeth examined by Karen Kelly, left, a dental hygienist at the Windsor Essex County Health Unit, at the Calling All 2 & 3 Year Olds! Developmental Health and Wellness Fair at Windsor Water World, Wednesday, April 17, 2013. (DAX MELMER/The Windsor Star)
Mickayla Costa, 3, plays with coloured cutouts while at the Calling All 2 & 3 Year Olds! Developmental Health and Wellness Fair at Windsor Water World, Wednesday, April 17, 2013. (DAX MELMER/The Windsor Star)
Alexander Wacheski, 2, being held by his mother, Kelly Wacheski, has his teeth examined by Karen Kelly, left, a dental hygienist at the Windsor Essex County Health Unit, at the Calling All 2 & 3 Year Olds! Developmental Health and Wellness Fair at Windsor Water World, Wednesday, April 17, 2013. (DAX MELMER/The Windsor Star
Nicholas McGrayne, 2, plays with Play-Doh at the Calling All 2 & 3 Year Olds! Developmental Health and Wellness Fair at Windsor Water World, Wednesday, April 17, 2013. (DAX MELMER/The Windsor Star)
